by Joseph Spector, Gannett

by Joseph Spector, Gannett

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The number of pistol permits in New York soared 14% between 2011 and 2012 in advance of a gun-control law passed last month.

Amid concerns about tougher gun laws in New York and nationally, residents obtained nearly 20,000 pistol permits in 2012, up about 2,500 since 2011, New York State Police records obtained by Gannett's Albany (N.Y.) Bureau showed.

Westchester County, N.Y., had a remarkable increase -- up 200% over the two years, from 261 issued in 2011 to 793 in 2012. Westchester County Clerk Tim Idoni on Wednesday confirmed the increase but said he was unclear of the reason for the surge.

He said it takes four to six months in the county to be granted a pistol permit.

"I think it was just an anomaly," Idoni said.

In January, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law the toughest gun-control law in the nation after the Newtown, Conn., shootings. There has also been talk for years that President Barack Obama would pursue stronger federal laws, which he proposed a day after New York's law was passed.

Gun-rights advocates said the concern about new laws might have prompted more people to seek gun permits.

Thomas King, president of the New York Rifle & Pistol Association, said it could take on average 20 minutes in New York for police to arrive to someone's home in an emergency.

"That's the reason you are seeing a lot of this," King said. "They're afraid their rights are going to be outlawed, and they are also looking to protect themselves."

Other counties have also seen a surge in pistol permits, State Police data show. Sixteen of the 57 counties outside New York City had a 50% increase or more in pistol permits issued in 2012.

In December, the (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News published a list of permit holders and their addresses in Westchester and Rockland counties. The interactive map drew strong criticism, and it was taken down last month. The new law gives gun owners the ability to opt out of having their information public.

Some law-enforcement officials said the requests for pistol permits have increased in January. The demand has led to longer waits for permits to be processed -- in some cases for more than a year.

Otsego County Sheriff Rich Devlin said revenue from pistol permits applications in January matched the total revenue the county received in all of 2012, about $8,000. In 2012, the number of pistol permits issued in the county jumped 77%, from 125 to 221.

"Things have been busier, we've seen it in the office -- more people coming in and updating things and people getting new permits," Devlin said.

Some counties had a decline in pistol permits in 2012, but have had an increase in applications in recent weeks.

As of mid-January, more than 400 people had applied for new pistol permits in Monroe County since the Newtown shootings. That's compared with 158 in the same period in 2011.

Monroe County had a drop of 35% in new pistol permits in 2012, State Police data show. Pistol permits issued in Tompkins County dropped 20% between 2011 and 2012.

Cuomo has defended the new law. It requires added registration requirements for guns, a stronger assault-weapons ban and lowers the allowed number of bullets in a magazine from 10 to 7.

Cuomo on Thursday applauded lawmakers who supported the measure, saying opponents are a vocal minority. Polls have shown that a majority of New Yorkers supported the new law.

"What we did on gun violence, I think, the legislators should feel very good," Cuomo said on the "Capitol Pressroom," a public radio show. "I believe they're on the right side of history. I think they are with the majority of the people of this state."

Brad Lytle, president of the Twin Tier Tea Party, said the gun law is misguided. He and others want it repealed, and the Rifle & Pistol Association is expected to file a lawsuit to challenge its constitutionality in court.

"The laws are directed at law-abiding citizens, not the criminals," Lytle said. "And the criminals are the ones that they need to do something about."